I had one matinee for this show, and it proved the most challenging performance. For the first time, I totally blanked on one of my lines. It seemed like 7 seconds before I finally recovered and got back into the script. With 32 pages to memorize, it's not surprising that there would be some missteps and stumbles. But this was the only time I actually forgot the line!!
I chalked it up to fatigue (I hadn't slept very well the night before) and to a different vibe from the audience. This house was the smallest to date — around 20 people — and they were quiet and reflective. I have learned from experience that just because an audience does not respond vocally doesn't mean they are not reacting internally. Of course, as a comedienne, it's nice to hear the laughter and the applause. You know immediately that they are enjoying the material.
I didn't realize how much the show meant until I stepped out of the theatre after the show. There stood a friend, with tears streaming down her face. She was speechless for a few moments. "You are so brave," she told me. Her heartfelt reaction deeply touched me. Yes, the show is funny, but there are also some serious, poignant moments — about loss, loneliness, bigotry — and I wasn't sure how people would respond to those darker scenes.
I learned that it's the humour that permits the audience to go with me to those places of pain. Thankfully, they embraced the whole package. After all, life is about light and shade, right?